Previews

Wario Ware Touched!

Those addictive minigames are back and better than ever, thanks to the DS's touchscreen.

Spiffy:

Addictive style of gameplay; touchscreen allows for more variety; wacky minigames are still a blast.

Iffy:

We have to wait to play it. I want it now!

When the original Wario Ware was released for the GBA in mid-2003, it took the gaming world by storm. An addictive and fast-paced collection of minigames, the title was perfect for both a few minutes of mindless entertainment and hours of mind-numbing fun. Best of all, the game was a snap to learn, as each minigame required you to perform a different action than the previous one. If you didn't get it, you just moved on to the next one. Nearly everyone who saw the game was perplexed at first, but became enraptured after just a few minutes at the controls. Now, the same great style of play is about to debut on Nintendo's new DS system with Wario Ware Touched!, although it's been changed quite a bit to take advantage of the handheld's touch screen.

The game kicks off with a humorous introduction, as Wario gets his first taste of the DS. We see him losing at his own, getting frustrated and pounding on the touchscreen. This, he notices, causes things to happen, and he gradually figures out what needs to be done to be successful at the game. With this, the opening credits begin and the main game starts. While the storyline is more or less inconsequential, we're given a brief look at some of the minigames to come when Wario, his teeth rotting after binging on candy, must head to the dentist. Your first task is to knock the cavity causing creeps off of his teeth, before they can cause too much damage.

This, of course, is done using the DS's stylus, the tool that you'll be using throughout the game (although we were told that some games will require the use of the microphone). Most of the minigames will require you to figure out what needs to be done to advance, and there's really some nice variety. Thanks to the touchscreen, the possibilites seem endless, unlike the relatively restrictive D-pad and A button based games seen in the first one.

While one game might require you to slice vegetables that flying across the screen, another forces you to hit numbered buttons in the correct order. The methods that you use differ, too. In certain games, you must rub the screen quickly to expose something, while others ask you to rotate an onscreen object by moving the stylus in a circular motion. Since the objectives change frequently, the game manages to stay challenging, as you must think on your toes.

If you are a fan of the previous game in the series, there's no doubt that you'll thoroughly enjoy Wario Ware Touched! Nearly everything that made the first game great is back, from the cartoonish visual style to the silly, seemingly random minigames. Best of all, the game makes use of the touchscreen in inventive new ways, ensuring a unique experience just about every time you play.